Press opening device



April 9 R. J. RANDALL 7 2,372,852

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April 1945. R. J. RANDALL 1 2,372,852

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PRES S OPENING DEVICE p F o 60 2' ca m Patented Apr. 3, 1945 UNiTEDSTATES wiiNTh OFFICE PRESS OPENING DEVICE Application March 13, 1942,Serial No. 434,555

17 Glaims.

The present invention relates to means for controlling the openingmovements of the heads of garment presses and the like. The inventionmay be considered to be an improvement on the power-operated press headreleasing means shown in my copending application, Serial No. 402,251,filed July 12, 1941, for Timing apparatus for garment presses and thelike, now Patent No. 2,306,566, dated December 29, 194 l An object ofthe invention is to provide an improved power-actuated device forunlocking a garment press and for permitting the press head to move toopen position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thiskind which requires only a minimum amount of electrical or mechanicalpower to unlock and release the press head. To this end, the inventionprovides an arrangement of parts wherein a relatively small, low-powersolenoid may be employed to shift a latch, which releases a morepowerful instrumentality to positively unlock and open the press head.

A further object of the invention is to provide a press head openingdevice which may be controlled by a small, low-power solenoid having thesame electrical characteristics as other solenoids employed in anautomatic garment press for actuating the steam valve and the coolingair or vacuum control valve, whereby all of the solenoids may be readilycontrolled by an automatic timer, without using step-up relay circuitsand without damaging the circuit makers and breakers associated with thetimer, as might be the case, if a heavy, relatively high-power solenoidwere used to actuate the press head opening device.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whereinpower for releasing the head lock is stored during a portion of the headclosing movement and wherein the release of the stored power iscontrolled by a relatively light, solenoid-operated'latch, or theequivalent. It is well understood in the garment press art that thepress head is usually closed upon a stationary buck by an operatorexerting considerable force upon a foot pedal, for instance, by standingon the pedal. The present invention provides means whereby the finalportion of the downward movement of the pedal serves to stress a spring,which is held in'that condition when the head is closed by a novel formof latch. The invention further provides connections actuated by thespring, upon the release of the latch for forcefully lifting the pedal,thereby releasing the head-lock and permitting the head to open.

Another object of the invention is to provide a power-actuated presshead opening mechanism which will not interfere with the operation ofthe usual operator-actuated press head opening device, conventionallybuilt into the press by the manufacturer. I I

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means forcontrolling one or more switches in an automatic press timing circuit, yopening and closing movements of the press head.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of thespecific embodiment of the invention shown, for purposes ofillustration, in the accompanying drawings and described below. I

In the accompanying drawings, only so much of a garment press and itsactuating means are shown as will be required for an understanding ofthe invention. Reference is hereby made to.

the aforementioned copending application for a complete disclosure ofthe press, the power means for operating the valves, and a number ofspecific forms of automatic timers and electrical circuits.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 isa side view, partially in elevation and partially in section;of a press with the improvement of the present invention appliedthereto;

Figure 2 is a similar, fragmentary view of the lower portion of Figure1, showing the parts in a different position and with certain partsomitted;

Figure 3 is a front elevation, taken from the left of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an elevation of certain parts shown in Figure 3, on anenlarged scale;

Figure 6 is a side elevation looking from the right of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical section of certain parts shown inFigures 5 and 6;

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure '7; and

Figure 9 is a horizontal section on line 9-9 of Figure '7.

The apparatus of the present invention has been designed for use withgarment presses of the Hofiman type, model V. manufactured by U. S.Hoffman Machinery Corporation and, although not confined, to use onpresses of this type, in the accompanying drawings and in the followingdescription, reference will be made thereto. The press comprises a baseIn having a pair of spaced, upwardly projecting side frame members II,l2, integral therewith and carrying at their upper end a buck support [3and a working table M. From a rearwardly extending portion 19 of thebase in, there are a pair of upwardly projecting frame members i5, I6,terminating at their upper ends in rearwardly spaced relation to thebuck 21. A heavy bifurcated lever l8, pivoted about the axis of a shaftl9, supported by the upper ends of the frame members I5, l6, carries apress head 20 at its forward end and a counterweight 21 at its rear end.

A forwardly breaking toggle mechanismcomprising a lower link 22 andparallel upper links 23 is connected between the rearwardly' projectingportion of the lever l8 and a stub shaft 24 adjacent the rear of thebase ID. A second toggle mechanism comprising links 25 connected to thefirst toggle at 26 and a second link 21, pivoted on a fixed axis 28 isprovided for the purpose of straightening the first toggle,- therebyclosing the head upon the buck, the second toggle being operated bydownwardly projecting links 29 con-- nected to a foot-operated pedal 30pivoted to the stub-shaft 24 carried by the base of the'niaohine.

As is well understood -in the art, pressure applied to the foot pedal 30straightensthe toggl'elinks 25, 21, thereby straightening the firsttoggle links 22, 23 and applying pressure to head upon the buck.continued downward r noveinent of the pedal urges the joint 32 betweenthe toggle links 25 and 21 upwardly a slight distance past dead center,the movement being arrested by step members 33, 34, carried by thetoggle and the press frame, respectively. A teiisioh spring as :7

senioly 35, connected between the piyot 2s and the u per end of link 23,assists the weight II in collapsing the toggles and opening the presshead when the joint 32 been moved ahead of'or whereupon th sprin 35 andthe weight 2| collapse the toggles arid raise the press head t6 openposition.

As is well understood in the art, the upper end of the link 23 may hepivoted at 42 to one nd of a bell crank lever 43, fulcrumed at 4'4adjacent the rear end of the lever is and having its Either 5 endconnected to a clevice 45, which has athr'eaded connection with'ariadjusting rod 46} the latter being connected at its forward end with ahand wheel 41 journalled in a transverse web as carried by the heavylever H3. The hand wheel SeIVS to rock the bell Clallli 43 ai'idthlbyvary the effective lehgth or the link '23 and the degree gt iiessureapplied between the head anothe As explained in the aforementioneapplication, the valve assembly 54 mounted on the press head 20,controls the discharge of steam from the hollow interior thereof throughthe padding on the head, the discharge being permitted when the valvestem 55 is raised by upward swinging movement of the lever 56 having ahandle 51 associated therewith, the lever being normally eheld in thelowermost, valve closing position by a spring 58. The steam valve mayalso be o ened by a foot pedal operated rod 59, connected (ill to a bellcrank lever 60 having a link 6! connected to an angular lever 62,connected in turn to the lever 56. The foot pedal operated rod 59 andcertain associated parts are omitted from Figures 2, 3 and 5, in orderto avoid confusion with other parts. In addition, a solenoid 65,(Figure 1) connected through a bell crank and a link 61, to an extension68 of the lever 60, may be employed to open and close the steam valve,under the control of an automatic timer of the type shown in theaforesaid application.

The press head closing pedal 30 may be raised to open the press head,not only by the operatoractuated pedal 31, but also by timer-controlled,power-actuated means. A pair of levers 15, 16 extend forwardly fromthepivot 24 on opposite sides of the pedal 30 and are pivotally connectedto the lower ends of upwardl extending links 1.1, 18, The links in turnare connected at their upward ends to a cross-head 19 having an upwardlyprojecting rod 80 secured to its central portion. The-rod is guided inalower bore formed in a forwardly projecting boss 81 formed integral-'-ly with a bracket 82 secured to. the front face of the frame members I Iand I2 of the machine. Above the boss 8!, there is a coil compressionspring 85, surrounding the rod 80 and adapted to be compressed betweenthe boss and a collar 86 fast onthe rod. A similar collar 81 below theboss limits the upward movement of the rod under the influence of thespring 85, when released, as hereinafter explained.

The upper end of the rod 80' is guided in an upper bore 88 formed in thebracket 82 and having bushings 89 pressed therein. When at its lowermostposition, the upper end of the rod '80 is substantially flush with theupper end of the bore 88. An inverted, U-sha'ped latch 90 is pivoted tothe bracket at 9i, 82, on opposite sides of the lower end of the bore88, with its trailsverse body portion 93' normally disposed above theupper end thereof, overlying the end of the rod 80. The transverse body83' of the latch is provided with an upwardly projecting lug 84,connected by links 95 to a bell crank level 98, connected in turn by alink 91 to the armature 98 of a solenoid assembly I00, mounted in a0215*- ing lOl carried by an upwardly p'rojet'itingpoltion I02 of thebracket 82. The weight of the solenoid armature 98 and associated partsnormally tends to urge the latch 90 toward the right, in position tooverlie the bore 88 and the end of the rod 80, but when the solenoid isenergized, the latch is swung toward the left to the'dotted lineposition (Fig. 5) out of the path of movement of the rod 88.

The link 29, extending downwardly from the toggle 2.1, is connected tothe pedal 30 by a pin I05 (Fig. 4) which extends laterally a substantial'distance beyond the pedal 30 and overlies the levers 15, 16, theupper surfaces of which are provided with semi-circular seats I06 forthe reception of the pin. Hence, when the lever 30 is depressed by theaction oi-tlie operator, the pin m5 engages the seats mo in the levers18, 1s, and forces them downwardly with the pedal, thereby lowering therod 80 and compressing the sl 'r'lhg 85. The latch 98 swings to the fullline position (Fig. 5) whenthe rod 86! has been lowered and lies in thepath of movement thereof, thereby preventing the rod from being raisedby the sprin 85. when the parts are in this position, with the presshead locked upon the buck, the pedal 39 may be raised by depressing theoper allot-actuated pedal 39, to release the press head,

without disturbing the solenoid controlled press head releasingmechanism. When the solenoid is energized, for instance, under thecontrol of an automatic timer of the type described in the aboveidentified application, the armature 98 is drawn upwardly, therebyswinging the latch 90 toward the left, to the dotted line position, outof the path of movement of rod 80. The spring 85, bearing against thecollar 86, raises the rod 80, the links ll, 78 and the levers 15, 18.Since the last-mentioned levers underlie the pin I05, carried by thepedal 30, the latter is also lifted, and the pivot 32 is moved ahead ofor below dead center, thereby releasing the head lock and permitting thepress head to open under the influence of the counterweight 2i and thespring 35.

It Will be apparent that very little power is required to swing thelatch 90 from the locking position to the releasing position and thatthe power to release the head lock and lift the pedal 30 is supplied,not by the solenoid itself, but by the relatively heavy spring 85, whichis compressed by the operator, when he moves the head to closedposition. Hence, the opening movement of the press head may becontrolled by a relatively weak, low-power solenoid, instead of by arelatively heavy solenoid as in the above identified application.

The upper portion of the bracket 82 is provided with anintegral/forwardly projecting housing H5, supported by a vertical web Hl, and having an opening H2 in its back wall. As indicated in Figure 9,the upper guiding bore 88 is formed in an enlargement H3 cast in thecorner between the housing I I and the back wall of th'e'bracket B2. Aplurality of switches H5, H5 in the timer circuit may be mounted in thehousing. so as to be controlled by the opening and closing movements ofthe press head. As explained in the above identified application, twopress head controlled switches are preferably included in the timercircuit, to initiate the operation of the timer only when the press headis closed, and to continue the operation of the timer and to control theoperation of the vacuum valve solenoid. under certain conditions, afterthe press head opens.

As shown in Figure '6, a spring feeler H8 is pivoted at its upper end toa transverse bolt H9 carried by upwardly projecting lugs I20, I21,formed integrally with the upper end wall of the housing H0. The feelerH8 lies in the path of movement of the toggle 21 and link 29, so that,when the press head is moved to closed position and the toggle assumesthe dotted line position in Figure 6, the feeler is moved toward theleft. In this position, a lug I22 on the feeler bears against. rollersI23 or other contactors carried by the switches H5, Hi, to actuate theswitches. Thus, when the press head is closed, the feeler H8 and the lugI22 are so moved as to shift the switches H5, H6 by cooperation with thecontactors I23. As explained in the aforesaid application, one of theswitches is preferably normally open and the other normally closed. Thefeeler H8 serves to shift the switches, to close the first one and toopen the second.

It is thought that the operation of the apparatus of the presentinvention will be entirely clear from a consideration of the foregoingdescription.

When the operator closes the press head, by placing his weight upon thepedal 30, the pin 1H5 carried thereby enters the seats I06 formed on theupper edges of the levers 15, 16, thereby lowering those levers anddrawing the links H, 1B

of the spring 85. When the rod has been depressed to its lowermostposition, the latch 90 swingsto its operative position with thetransverse body portion 93 thereof overlying the end of the rod. Closingmovement of the press head causes the end of toggle link 2'! to engagethe feeler H8 which serves to shift the switches H5, H6, therebyrendering the automatic timer operative, as explained in my priorapplication.

When the solenoid I00 is subsequently energized, for instance, by thetimer, the latch 93 is shifted to the release position, to one side ofthe upper end of the rod 80, whereupon the spring moves the rod and theparts operatively connected thereto upwardly with a sharp jerk. Thelevers T5, 76 moves the pin m5 and the pedal lever 35 upwardly, therebyswinging the toggle 21 in a clockwise direction and moving the joint 32ahead of or below dead center. This unlocks the press head and permitsthe same to open under the influence of the counterweight 2| and spring35. As the end of the toggle link 27 rotates, it moves away from thefeeler H8 .with the result that the switches are shifted to the presshead open position.

It must be understood that the invention is not limited to thedetails'of construction shown in the accompanying drawings and describedabove, as many modifications will readily occur to one skilled in theart. All such modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims and their equivalents are included within the invention.

I claim:

1. A garment press comprising a buck, a head mounted for movement toclosed position on the buck, a pedal operated link and lever systemincluding a toggle for so moving the head and for locking the head inclosed position when the toggle is moved past dead center,operator-actuated means for unlocking said system and for raising thehead, and automatic, power-actuated means for unlocking said system andfor raising the head, said operator-actuated means and said automatic,power-actuated means each having an independent, one-way connection withsaid system, whereby either may be actuated to unlock the system and toraise the head independently of the other and without affecting theother.

2. A garment press comprising a buck, a head mounted for movement toclosed position on the buck, a pedal operated link and lever systemincluding a toggle for so moving the head and for locking the head inclosed position when the toggle is moved past dead center,operator-actuated means for unlocking said system and for raising thehead, and automatic, power-actuated means for unlocking said system andhead, said automatic means comprising spring means operatively connectedto said system to be stressed upon movement of the head to closedposition on the buck, a latch for holding the spring means in stressedcondition, and means for moving the latch to release position to permitthe spring means to unlock the system and raise the head, said automaticmeans being so connected to said system as to permitinde'pendentoperation of the latter under-the influence of the operator-actuatedmeans without releasingsaid springmeans, whereby the press head maybeopened and closed independently of said auto matic means and while thespring means remains in stressed condition. I

for raising the moving the head and -3. A garment press comprising abuck, a head mounted for swinging movement to closed position on thebuck, a toggle linkage system for adapted to be moved past dead centerto lock the head on the buck, a pedal lever connected to the togglesystem and movable downwardly to move the latter past dead center andupwardly from it lowermost position to unlock the system,operator-actuated means for so moving the pedal lever upwardly, aspring, a connection between the pedal and the spring, operated bydownward movement of the pedal for stressing the spring, a latch forholding the spring in stressed condition, and means for releasing thelatch to cause the spring to move the pedal upwardly, said connectionbeing of the oneway type permitting the pedal to move upwardly under theinfluence of said operator-actuated means independently of the releaseof the latch and of the spring.

4. A garment press comprising a buck, a head mounted for swingingmovement to closed position on the buck, a toggle linkage system formoving the head and adapted to be moved past dead center to lock thehead on the buck, a pedal lever connected to the toggle system andmovable downwardly to move the latter past dead center and upwardly fromits lowermost position to unlock the system, operator-actuated means formoving the pedal upwardly, a spring, means having a one-way connectionwith the pedal for stressing the spring upon downward movement of thepedal, a latch for holding the spring in stressed condition and thelast-mentioned means in the position to which it is moved by downwardmovement of the pedal, while leaving the'pedal free for upward movementby said operator-actuated means, and means for releasing the latch meanswhereby said spring, through said oneway connection, serves to move thepedal upwardly to unlock the head.

5. In a garment press of the type wherein a press head is mounted forswinging movement to closed position upon a buck and wherein the head isurged to closed position by a system of levers, including a pedal lever,and is locked in that position by a toggle mechanism moved past deadcenter and is unlocked by operator-actuated means for lifting the pedallever, auxiliary means independent of said operator-actuated means forunlocking and raising the press head, comprising a spring, a linkagesystem positioned to be moved by downward movement of the pedal forstressing the sprin but leaving the pedal free to be lifted by theoperator-actuated means, a latch for holding the linkage system and thespring in the last-mentioned position, and poweractuated means forreleasing the latch, whereby the linkage system, under the influence ofsaid spring, raises the pedal lever to unlock the toggle mechanism andopen the press.

6. In a garment press of the type wherein a press head is mounted forswinging movement to closed position upon a buck and wherein the head isurged to closed position by a system of levers, including a pedal lever,and is locked in that position by a toggle mechanism moved past deadcenter and is unlocked by operator-actuated means for lifting the pedallever, auxiliary means for unlocking and raising the press head,comprising a compression spring, a spring operating linkage systemincluding an element positioned below the pedal in the path of downwardmovement thereof and adapted to compress the spring when the pedal ismoved to head locking position,

the pedal free for upward movement underthe influence of theoperator-actuated pedal lifting means, a latch for holding the springcompressed, and means for moving the latch to release position, wherebysaid linkage system lifts the pedal and unlocks the press head.

7. In a garment press of the type wherein a press head is closed andlooked upon a buck by a downwardly movable pedal lever, a verticallyextending link adjacent the pedal, a one-way connection between thepedal and the link, whereby downward movement of the pedal istransmitted to the link and upward movement of the link is transmittedto the pedal, the pedal being free to move upwardly independently ofwhile leaving the link, a spring urging the link upwardly when thelatter has been lowered by downward movement of the pedal, a latch forholding the link in the lowered position against the force of saidspring, and means for moving the latchto release the link, whereby thelink raises the pedal and unlocks the press head.

8. In a garment press of the type wherein a press head is closed andlocked upon a buck by a downwardly movable pedal lever, a verticallyextending link adjacent the pedal, a one-way con nection between thepedal and the link, whereby downward movement of the pedal i transmittedto the link and upward movement of the link is transmitted to the pedal,the pedal being free to move upwardly independently of the link, aspring urging the link upwardly when the latter has been lowered bydownward movement of the pedal, a latch engaging member movable withsaid link, a latch pivoted for swinging movement into the path of upwardmovement of said member for holding the link in the lowered positionagainst the force of said spring, and means for swinging the latch outof the path of movement of said member, whereby the link may mOVeupwardly ill under the influence of the spring to lift the pedal andunlock the press head.

9. In a garment pres of the type wherein a press head is closed andlocked upon a buck by a downwardly movable pedal lever, a verticallyextending link adjacent the pedal, a one-way connection between thepedal and the link, whereby downward movement of the pedal istransmitted to the link and upward movement of the link is transmittedto the pedal, the pedal being free to move upwardly independently of thelink, a spring urging the link upwardly when the latter has been loweredby downward movement of the pedal, a latch engaging member movable withsaid link, a

= latch pivoted for swinging movement into the path of upward movementof said member for holding the link in the lowered position against theforce of said spring, and a solenoid connected to said latch forswinging the same out of the path of movement of said member, wherebysaid spring may raise the link and the pedal and unlock the press head.

10. In a press of the type wherein a press head is closed and lookedupon a buck by a pedal lever, means for raising the lever to unlock thepress head, said means comprising a pair of vertically extending linkson opposite sides of the pedal, means connected to said links underlyingan element associated with the pedal, thereby providing a one-wayconnection between the pedal and the links, spring means urging thelinks upwardly same to a position to release the links, whereby saidspring means may raise the links and the pedal.

11. In a garment press of the type wherein a press head is closed andlooked upon a buck by a forwardly extending, downwardly movable pedalpivoted adjacent the rear of the press frame,

electrically controlled mean for lifting the pedal and unlocking thepress head, comprising a forwardly extending lever fulcrumed on thepedal pivot and having a surface underlying a surface associated withthe pedal in abutting relation, spring means for urging the leverupwardly when the latter has been lowered by downward movement of thepedal, a latch for holding the lever in the lowered position against theforce of the spring means, and a solenoid for moving the latch to aposition to release the lever, whereby the lever and the pedal areraised by said spring means.

12. In a garment press of the type wherein a press head is closed andlocked upon a buck by a forwardly extending, downwardly movable pedallever pivoted adjacent the rear of the press frame, electricallycontrolled means for lifting the pedal and unlocking the press head,comprising a forwardly extending lever fulcrumed on the pedal pivot andhaving a surface underlyin a surface associated with the pedal inabutting relation, an upwardly extending link connected to the free endof the lever, a spring urging the link upwardly when the lever and linkhave been lowered by downward movement of the pedal. a latch for holdingthe link-and lever in the lowered position against the force of saidspring, and electrically actuated means for moving the latch to arelease position, whereby said spring raises the link, the lever and thepedal to unlock the press head.

13. In a garment press of th type. wherein a press head is closed andlooked upon a buck by a downwardly movable pedal and is unlocked byupward movement thereof, means for raising the pedal from the lockingposition, comprising a rod guided for vertical movement relative to thepress frame, connections between the rod and the pedal, whereby the rodis lowered when the pedal is lowered to close the press head, acompression spring surrounding the rod and positioned to be compressedby downward movement of the latter. a latch yoke pivoted for swingingmovement from a position overlying the end of the rod when lowered to arelease position, and power means for swinging the yoke to thelast-mentioned position, to permit the spring to raise the rod and liftthe pedal.

14. Mechanism for lifting the operating pedal of a garment press fromits lowermost, press-headlocking position, to an upper head-releasingposition, comprising a bracket carried by the pressframe above thepedal, a rod guided for vertical movement in the bracket, 8. linkconnected to the rod, a lever connected to the link and extendingrearwardly and having a surface underlying the pedal, whereby the pedaldepresses the lever, the link and the rod when it is moved to head-lock-Ofa ing position, a spring adapted to be stressed by depression of therod, a latch pivoted to the bracket and having a surface overlying theend of the rod'when in latching position, and a solenoid connected tothe latch, to swing the same to release position, to permit the springto lift the rod, the link, the lever and th pedal.

15. Mechanism for lifting the operating pedal of a garment press fromits lowermost, presshead-locking position to an upper head-releasingposition, comprising a bracket carried by the front of the press frameabove the pedal, a rod uided for vertical movement in the bracket, apair of depending links connected to the rod, a pair of rearwardlyextending levers connected to the links and having surfaces underlying asurface associated with the pedal, a spring surrounding the rod andadapted to be stressed by depression of the rod, a latch pivoted on thebracket and having a portion thereof overlying the end of the rod whenin latching position to hold the same depressed against the force of thespring, and a solenoid connected to the latch for swinging the same to arelease position.

16. Mechanism for lifting th operating pedal of a garment press from itslowermost, presshead-locking position to an upper head-releasingposition, comprising a bracket carried by the front of the press frameabove the pedal, a rod guided for vertical movement in the bracket,

means establishing a connection between the pedal and.the rod, wherebythe rod is moved downwardly when the pedal is lowered to lockingposition, a compression spring connected to the rod and urging the sameupwardly and tending to lift the pedal, a latch pivoted to said bracketand positioned in the path of movement of the end of the rod when inlatching position to restrain the same against movement under the forceof the spring, and a solenoid carried by said bracket and connected tothe latch to swing the same out of the path of movement of the rod whenthe solenoid is energized.

17. Mechanism for lifting the operating pedal garment press from itslowermost, presshead-locking position to an upper head-releasingposition, comprising a bracket carried by the front of the press frameabove the pedal, a rod guided for vertical movement in the bracket,means establishing a connection between the pedal and the rod, wherebythe rod is moved downwardly when the pedal is lowered to lockingposition, a compression spring connected to the rod and urging the sameupwardly and tending to lift the pedal, a U -shaped latch having itslegs pivoted on said bracket and its body portion positioned in the pathof movement of the end of the rod when in latching position to restrainthe same against movement under the force of said spring, and a solenoidcarried by said bracket and connected to the latch to swing the bodyportion thereof to one side of the path of movement of the rod when thesolenoid is energized.

ROBERT J. RANDALL.

